Chapter 22 (1/2)

Hari’s POV

“Haha! Really? Cabel?”

“Cabel is always very lively and bright. It looks good.”

A bright laugh rang out in the dining hall. Now where they are was in Vastia.

I accepted their request from the previous day and Eugene brought my brothers and me together to meet the Vastia’s couple.

As always, the Vastia’s couple looked at the authenticity of the Cabel and praised it warmly.

Then Cabel’s shoulders were crushing to me. Looking at the look, Erich frowned.

“Don’t give it too much. I think brother is not really like that.”

“Oh, I know you’re jealous of me! Well, you know how cool this brother is! Don’t give up already because you might be able to got a gold if you tried.”

Cabel became a momentum with the praise of Vastia’s couple, and he shook his nose with Erich’s words. He couldn’t even see Erich’s face cooling down.

“The opponent is brother Cabel?”

“Yeah.” Said Erich answering Louise word.

“It’s not even worth it.”

“Mm.”

“Yes, the two of you are right.”

I heard the words of my future sister-in-law in Vastia, and they heard them too. Then Cabel cried out, screaming at his lungs.

“What, you guys! What do you mean? Isn’t this a secret feeling?!”

I didn’t know exactly what he meant, but I felt like he was imitating myself anyway. Really, aren’t you a fool?

You have even noticed that much, all new discoveries!

When it was a gathering place together, the inside of the dining hall was noisy.

There was no time for a friendly conversation to end. After a while, I enjoyed myself in my time in Vastia.

Then, at some point, Count Vastia suddenly moved his gaze toward Eugene and asked.

“Yeah, when can I hear the good news?”

And he forked in the salad in his words, followed by a pause.

“It’s been a while since you’re already engaged, right?”

There was still no news of marriage, and I was curious about it, but from the experience of my past life, there was a longer grace period for Eugene’s marriage.

However, as if to ridicule my thoughts, the next moment Eugene replied with a calm face.

“I’m going to expect it to be a little ahead of time. I’ll tell you when the work is done.”

Dum.

At that moment, I felt a big rock falling into my chest. I was amazed and looked at him sitting opposite of me.

Not only me, but Cabel and Erich, who were there, seemed surprised.

“What, brother, are you getting married?”

“Why do you do this so quickly? I don’t feel relaxed.”

At their words, Eugene just smiled a little. I looked at him, hoping that my face would not look awkward.

Eugene is getting married soon…?

I knew from the start that It was about to come one day, and I couldn’t help but shake my mind, I’m still suprised.

If Eugene really wants it, I should congratulated him.

With all my heart in mind, I solved my expression of steadfastness.

Even so, I didn’t even know that there was a person watching my face while I was doing my best.

******

“When brother Eugene said that he was getting married, were you sad?”

When dinner was over and everyone went to their respective rooms arranged by Vastia, Johannes came to me.

I was frustrated by his words, but he said he understood me all.

“Because everyone knows that Ernst’s friendship is different. There have been several things in the middle.”

It was natural to think so.

“It’s okay. I’ll be there. You’re not gonna be lonely.”

Johannes whispered as if comforting me, but I couldn’t say anything to him.

This feeling I’m feeling right now, it was something that could never be explained by such words.

“Lady Ernst, if you like, the next song will be with me…”

“Give me the honor to dance with the Lady.”

It wasn’t necessary to be accompanied by a partner, so I was only alone with Ethan today.

After refusing to apply for a partner coming from all over the place with a smile during the day, I headed to Terras.

“Oh, I’m tired.”

Ethan followed me into the empty terrace, as I sat down on the chair casually without minding.

The hem of the dress flaps out once again, and the shoeed foot is exposed.

My feet hurt a little, so I wanted to take off my shoes, but I still had Ethan, and I did think it was a little too much for him.

When I buried myself in a soft cushion, my bodies became dull.

I listened to the sound of the music smearing in my ear and looked at the starry sky beyond the railing.

Dressed in such a beautiful way and spreading a gorgeous patticoat. In the past, it was great to be like a proof that I belonged to their world.

Even though I am now receiving more attention and love than I did then……

Why is that?

I was feeling a little vain and lonely for some reason. Well, if I saw it before, it must have been a fatal fight.

“Sir Bishop goes in there, dances, socializes, and don’t you want to do that?”

I was always worried because he seemed unable to enjoy his youth because of my escort every day.

Ethan replied in a grave voice.

“I can’t.”

“Why? If it’s my escort, I’ll tell my brother.”

“It’s not that….”

If it’s because of me, it was a good thing to tell Eugene,

‘Can you stop escorting Ethan to me?’

So far, it was my intention to say that it would be okay to stop now, as nothing special was going to happen, but Ethan drew an unexpected answer to my question.

“I don’t deserve it.”

Ha? What does this mean again?

I was puzzled by his unexpected words.

“What do you mean by qualification? Who decides that?”

I couldn’t understand what Ethan said now.

He doesn’t have the qualification to dance at the ball venue or to meet other people? Why?

However, I noticed that he was no longer willing to speak. I looked up at his tightly closed mouth and stood upright on a chair.

“Sir Bishop.”

Well. But when I called his name again, I heard a voice knocking on the door. It was Rosabella who looked beyond the glass door.

Ethan, who noticed my thoughts, moved instead of me and opened the terrace.

After that, he bowed to Rosabella and greeted me, then closed the door and went out.

I turned to Ethan after seeing Ethan back against the glass door.

“I also want to rest.”

“Come over here and sit down.”

I arranged the hem of the wide dress on the chair so she could sit. The chairs on the terrace were for 2 or 3 people, so enough for us to sit.

“You look tired.”

“Somewhat.” She said.

I’m looking at Rosabella’s face and saying it carefully, she easily affirmed it.

“I think my marriage is going to be accelerated. Did you hear that Miss Hari?”

“Yeah.”

I replied briefly, and then silenced for a while. And soon I smiled and added.

“It’s not hard to say that Rosabella is going to be my family.”

But Rosabella smiled subtly in my words and said something I couldn’t understand.

“Well, would it be a celebration?”

I didn’t know what she meant, and I looked at her face still.

“In fact, I’m not soft enough to embrace love or marriage.”

A quiet voice overlayed the sound of music leaking from the hall.

“But nowadays I actually think there might be no other better option in front of me. Is it because my heart got complicated when I about to got married?”

Rosabella’s expression, as she said, seemed to have a lot of emotion.

Even her eyes staring at the light outside the terrace seemed to have even a light depth.

I was a little surprised to see Rosabella’s face like that for the first time, but in a way it seemed to be a matter of course.

The bride, who was originally to get married, is said to have a complicated heart.

In addition, the two were not a romantic marriages but a political marriages.

As such, I thought that she might have thoughts like this because she was getting ahead of marriage.

Unlike in the past, she and I tended to be acquainted, so it could have been in this way that she could reveal her feelings in front of me.

So what should I tell her in this situation?

“Why don’t you talk to my brother a little deeper? Then you can know each other better than ever.”

In fact, I hoped that the two people would have had time to get to know each other.

Anyway, they would get married and live together for a lifetime, even if it wasn’t the first time, it would not be as good than if they loved each other.

“If you’re okay, you can talk now or after the ball.”

“Hari, I don’t have to do that.”

But Rosabella quietly looked into my face and shook her head.

“I know you always try for that person and me.”

“Rosabella.”

“Hari, I like you. Not because I’m going to be you sister, but I think you as a friend. So I want to be honest with you.”

And her voice that followed kept me speechless.

“I don’t love him, and he doesn’t love me either. I think that’s probably not going to change in the future.”

Rosabella shook her voice with a voice like she was ashamed of the firm truth.

“The only thing that exists between him and me is trust and duty, and there is no feeling of love, even though there is respect for each other. I’ve never felt sorry for that.”

It’s so dry that it’s cool. I even felt it. I looked at the person who was holding her breath.

“Isn’t this what we understand?”

I thought Rosabella had a chuckle in her eyes, but when she said this, she didn’t seem to feel that much pleasant either.

“I grew up learning that this relationship was reasonable from a young age. It may be very different from the environment in which you grew up. That person seemed to have no intention to marry off his siblings like himself.”

I didn’t understand that at all.

Indeed, if you go into the hall now and look around, you will be able to see a lot of people who marry for political purposes like them.

“I’m glad I still don’t love him, just like he don’t love me.” She said.

“But don’t look like that.”

“I don’t really think I’m unhappy like this.”

Rosabella then turned her head forward to see the hall, as if she had no intention of further dialogue.

Again, only the quiet sound of music was laid down again.

I didn’t say anything anymore.

Before I worried about Rosabella, who would lead a loveless marriage, it was Eugene, not her, that I thought first.

Respect and good will is in their marriage.

But in the words of Rosabella, who affirms that there will be everything but love, there is a cool feeling in my chest.

“Hari.”

I walked out from the ball arts venue to where the wagon was, and someone called me.

“Brother.”

Eugene was standing still under the light.

“Miss Rosabella attended today.”

“I met her on my way to seeing you off.”

Busy with Rosabella at the ball, I didn’t even notice it.

Instead of not being able to attend, it seemed that he had come to see her face even though he was late.

Due to Eugene’s personality, she had no choice but to fulfill her obligations as his fiancée.

Now, it’s the fall that’s approaching winter, so the air around it is quite cold. Eugene said with a narrow eye, knowing that the clothes I wore weren’t that thick.

“Let’s go back. Get on the wagon first.”

But I just looked at Eugene like that, rather than grabbing his hand that was straight forward.

What I heard from Rosabella in the arts hall, again, the word shook in the my head.

‘I don’t love him, and he doesn’t love me. I think that will probably remain the same in the future.’

‘I don’t have the feeling that love and trust exist between him and me, but there is respect for each other. I’ve never even felt sorry for that fact.’

“Brother.”

Is this alright…? Is this really okay?

The stupid question went up to the end of my neck, and then quickly shattered like dust. Eugene seemed to think of me as weird, saying nothing to him.

Even when I saw it, I am weird now, so I could fully understand that he had questions.

“Do you like Miss Rosabella?”

I asked Eugene, who turned his face into the light. Then Eugene was silent for a while.

Come, answer it…

“Yes.” He said.

Yes, I know, it’s presumptuous to interfere with this. Besides, it’s cowardly, like this.

“Yeah, I think Miss Rosabella is a good person.”

I looked at the person I face. I actually smiled and wanted to cry, but I smiled. I can’t help it.

I have no choice but to smile.

I can’t help it.

Since someday you weren’t able to smiled well, I have to smile instead.

“Let’s go, brother.”

I hope you are happy.

If I can, I want to make you happy.

Actually, I think it’s been since a long time ago. However, I probably could not reveal it until I died. I grabbed Eugene’s hand and climbed the wagon.

I wish time would stop as it was, but it was also a wish that would not come true.

*******

In the middle of winter, Cabel graduated from the Academy. Finally, our second brother is getting a diploma! I was thrilled.

Of course, Cabel graduated from the academic school safely in the last year, but this time he received a gorgeous report card, not failing all subjects, and I was very nervous.

Besides, I was worried because the future of the present is not the same as my memory.

Moreover, to the second brother so far,

Do you know how many times I paid for the crisis that happened?

Good god, but graduation. Really, I’m impressed.

“Oops! Congratulations on your graduation!”

“Well haha I know! I told you not to worry? Because the graduation exams are just gum!”

“Yes! Brother is the best! Cool!”

“Um ha ha ha ha!”

I gave him a storm of compliment

Because I think I can flatter Cabel as much as I can today.

Then, the second brother became thrilled and his mouth was torn and smiled widely.

It’s probably an illusion that the words that compliment the second brother become more and more many as the days go by.

It’s not annoying, so I’m not talking about it!

“Congratulations to brother Johan, too.”

“Thank you.”

The graduated today not only our second brother, so I also congratulated Johannes.

Since Johannes is one of the best in grade, he said that he will be standing on top of the stage at the graduation ceremony today.

Nevertheless, he said, before the ceremony,

“First of all, I was lucky enough to have a senior position because I had a friend who graduated early.”

“I’m going to start the graduation ceremony. I have to go to stage.”

I also headed back to see the graduation ceremony with Erich and Louise.

Eugene said he could come by the end of the graduation ceremony, and the Vastia’s already moved to meet and greet someone they knew.

Then, a young man approaching me and spoke to me with a nervous face.

“Lady Ernst. Do you remember me? I greeted you at the banquet of Marjoram Baek, whom was held in the past month.”

“Um? Does the Sir graduate today?”

“Yes, I am!”

“Congratulations.”

The blue ribbon on his school uniform made me realize that he was a graduate. Then, many people glanced around and looked at us.

On the other hand,

‘Wow, the brave guy who was looking for a niche…’

‘Oh, I said I’d be the first to talk to her and hit the jackpots!’

The same sound rang in my ears.

“Lady Ernst, if you’re excuse me, join me next time…”

“Why are there so many worms in the middle of winter?”

And as if he were determined, he started to speak to me.

Suddenly, Erich, who was next to me, murmured with his mouth open, but it rang around with a voice that was too loud to be alone.

“It was a professional brother Cabel’s favorite activity to catch a bug.”

At that moment, the young man’s face in front of me quickly became speculative.

The noise that flowed around that was also caused by the mood died, and I felt like it was stopped all at once.

“Sorry, sorry! Excuse me ah ah…!”

The young man who ended up trying to say something to me, couldn’t even make it, and he ran away.

It seemed that there’s his tail was running away from something invisible.

“Wow, brother is really evil.”

“What did I do?”

Erich shamelessly replied to Louise’s tone. I was stunned as I was. No, this one?

I thought I was only have to endure the guys who only approached me when the second brother is so far, but it turns out that you are also an accomplice?!

“If my crossroads are blocked, all of them won’t be able to get close to me.”

I mumbled because he was absurd, and at one point, I was frustrated with the thought that had passed by.

No, wait…?

Then, in my past life, was my path actually blocked? Are you sure these facts were why I was an old lady until I turned 27?!

“Oh, the graduation ceremony starts.”

However, since the graduation ceremony started immediately, I could not express my doubts, I had to plow and pledge the following.

After that, the second brother entered the 2nd Division knight of the Imperial Palace.

Eugene and Cabel, who go to Imperial Palace side by side each morning, seemed to be proud of it.

In particular, the second brother is a big head that you can see his nose grow longer!

Well, this is the second time, but it’s still very impressive.

“Miss Ernst, could you please pass this letter to Sir Cabel instead?”

Wow, besides, did the ladies come to me even to request sending a love letter now?

“When I stopped by Imperial Palace last time, I tried to give it to him myself, but it took me a while to work.”

Hyuk, I was a little surprised.

Ooh, love feelings to our second brother. Do you think you can be a wife who embraces him?!

Of course, Cabel was fine, so I knew that there were some young ladies who expressed interest by looking at his appearance.

In addition, after becoming officially a knight of the Imperial Palace, he said,

‘The uniform is cool!’

It seemed to me that there were some young ladies who glowed their eyes at Cabel with a feeling of feeling like this.

“Second of our house, is it true that you are referring to Brother Cabel?”

“Yeah, the cute thing is just my taste.”

Marjoram young lady again shyly laughed. I stopped feeling terrified and got the letter she gave me.

Wow, wow. Second brother, here is a young lady who likes you!

When I went home and handed this letter, it seemed to me that I could see how much he was going to scream again and again.

Today I am in a festival for a New Year event, so it is late in the evening when I can give this letter to Cabel.

The 2nd Knights stayed in the Imperial Palace because they couldn’t come here today.

Arlanta’s New Year’s festival is held every year in different parts of the Empire, this time the place famous for its glass lake.

The venue for the New Year’s event was around the glass lake, which is directly illuminating the sky.

This place was proud of the mysterious mood of lotus blossoms in all seasons.

It is said that the goddess of Arlanta’s guardianship is filled in here with the clear spirit..

Cool. Anyway, there is such a myth It was an unrealistically beautiful landscape.

“Hari, isn’t it cold?”

“I managed to still stand up. Miss Rosabella?”

“I wasn’t very cold.”

I chatted with Rosabella and looked at Eugene, Erich, and Johannes standing over there. In the New Year’s event, women and men had to move separately.

Nowadays, many people claim this to be boring, but since the founding, It was a tradition that continued, and it was a culture that can not be changed.

“I’m cold.”

“Would you like my shawl?”

“No, my sister is cold, too.”

I tried to take off my silver fox shawl to Louise, but I was rejected.

Instead, I grabbed Louise’s hands and split my body temperature.

My hands were cold and as she was held by me her hands still cold too, because it was really cold.

“Why are we doing the New Year’s Day right in front of the lake? It’s colder because of the water temperature.”

Louise’s murmur was also sympathetic to me.

They said If we receive the spirit of the goddess in the glass lake, it will be a year or something.

I think it’s just a superstition.

“I’ll excuse myself for a moment.”

But then one moment, Rosabell, who was next to me, left.

I looked at her back as I thought she would probably meet someone she know and say hello or take a break somewhere else.

Rosabella moved behind the altar, where the torch for the New Year festival was laid.